The National Cherry Blossom Festival Celebrates 100 Years!

Even though the The National Cherry Blossom is not until March 2012, Washington, DC is already making preperations to host this annual event since the Cherry Blossom festival is celebrating its cenntenial year. The event is usual a week long but since this will be the 100th year it will be super-sized. The event feature a variety of guest including First Lady Michelle Obama. She will serve as the honoray chairperson.

The first cherry blossoms were planted at the north end of the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC in 1912 by First Lady Helen Harron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador. During that time 1800 trees were planted around the Tidan Basin located near the Jefferson Memorial. Japan donated another 3500 trees in 1965 and they were recieved by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.

The upcoming festival will feature the planting of 1,000 new trees along with the annual parade that is being called the 'City of Bloom." The national festival will take place at the end of March stretching into mid-April.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival generally attracts over 700,000 visitors every year and I am sure next year the festival will bring even more visitors to our Nation's Capital.

Here is more information about the 100 Celebration of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.